Dirrell: I’ll be smarter

By Rob Hough

Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13 KOs) admitted that Carl Froch’s tactics affected him in their fight, which Froch won by split-decision, and promised to be more disciplined against Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) on March 27 in their Super Six World Boxing Classic Stage 2 match-up.

“Froch using dirty tactics, that threw me off my game plan,” Dirrell said Thursday on a teleconference to discuss the fight, which was moved from March 6, and from Palm Springs, Calif., to Detroit, Mich., because Dirrell tweaked his back. “I clinched too much. I could have fought more inside and not complained to the referee. I’ll be more focused and more determined this time. I’m training a lot smarter.”

Before the Froch fight, the Flint, Mich., resident talked enough trash to sink a barge, but it’s smooth sailing now.

“Froch said some things that bothered me and I felt like I had to stand up to that,” Dirrell said. “I respect Arthur Abraham a lot more than I respect Carl Froch.”

Abraham, ever calm, said the change in date and location won’t affect him. The Armenian-born resident of Germany was training in Palm Springs and flew home after the fight was postponed.

“We’re athletes so we don’t have problems with this,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. “It’s all a question of attitude and there’s no problem with that. I’ve never had a problem with jetlag so everything will be fine.”